Lilac Embrace
by Peder Andersson
Summary: Set after the events of book 2 of Monshou no Nazo.
1. Chapter 1

**Lilac Embrace**

Shiida rolled into his embrace and cuddled her face close to his chest, took a deep breath and inhaled his odour of night. "Good morning." She said and he kissed her hair. Felt his hand venture up her naked waist and rest it below her breast. With a smile she felt his heat and squeezed herself closer to the man she loved. Marth, the King of Altea and her lover. His caress continued to her back and he embraced her.

She felt his chest push against her own as he searched for her lips, found them and the first kiss of the day lasted. His lips were hot like forged led, felt his breath against her face then down her neck. His scent sweet like nectar from fresh grapes and as he kissed her neck twice she travelled with her hands down his body causing him to move in response and his kisses reached the foundations of her breasts. Shiida felt his lips deform her hot skin and his presence made her relax, his caress made her soft in soul and mind and each kiss that burned her skin made the very woman inside her shiver.

They remained below the sheets their bodies still close but the act finished, between them rested a veil of sweat that moved with their bodies as she reached forward and seized his shoulder with a kiss. Dawn awoke outside and through the window came easy sunlight that lit his body and on it their joined sweat glowed. Shiida kissed him again and sheltered herself in his embrace.

She could recall their days in Talys and all the days she had spent with him, first they had been friends, then comrades in the war against Mediuth and now lovers. Someday she would be his wife and their Kingdoms would join as they had done.

Shiida felt him kiss her on the forehead then he removed the blanket from his body and worked his way out of the bed. She regarded his naked body as he moved towards the wardrobe, smiled as she trapped the blanket close to herself and felt his odour rise to her nostrils and teas them. "I will take Oguma with me." She said and smiled as he exposed his nudity to her. "I don't like to travel with a large escort." She sat up in the bed holding the blanket close to herself covering that which he treasures.

March smiled as he dressed himself from underwear out to the blue pants, leather boots and white shirt. "I understand." He walked over to the bed and kissed her once more. "I will remain at the castle and await your return."

Oguma waited at the stable gate talking to the guard captain while she prepared her pegasi. It was then she felt a slight dizziness and leaned herself against the white winged steed. I happened from time to time and she just needed to allow the spell to pass. After a moment she felt the vigour return to her and brought the horse out of the pen and joined with Oguma at the stable gate.

It was not far to the village where they would meet with a locals and discuss protection from sea pirates. The Altean army was thin and mercenaries expensive. Her idea was to let Oguma train a few of the villagers to fight with a sword and create a local militia to fight of roaming pirates.

"I am ready to go." Shiida said and mounted her pegasi. She had decided to bring no spear but had a iron sword attached to the saddle. The two began down the street and out of the city. Many citizen looked up and praised the Princess of ? as she passed and she was treasured by her lovers entire kingdom.

The left the gate behind them and continued down towards the seaside village when Oguma voiced his concern. "You are looking pale Shiida, is everything all right with you highness?"

The princess touched her cheek with a gloved hand. "I am fine, just a little dizzy sometimes." She smiled and inhaled the fresh breeze but her reply had not removed his worry.

"Excuse my bluntness princess but is he treating you well. There are rumours that screams are heard from your shared room late at night." His concern showed on his face and shone through the thick battle scars. "Is he doing harm to you?"

Shiida blushed. She knew that guards prowled the corridors at night but she had never imagined that they had heard her, them while being at it. She looked away from Oguma allowing her embarrassment to settle in a firm red on her face. "I, I scream in delight while we make love." Shiida said struggling to keep her face straight and ladylike.

"Oh." Oguma's face and posture expressed his surprise. "I did not know that you were that close to the prince." He inhaled allowing the thick embarrassment to pass over her face. "Is he tender?"

Her lack of reply said everything, her eyes disappearing into the distance said she dreamt of his closeness again. The feel of his hands as the shape around loins, fingertips settling against the skin followed by his kisses a brief chill against her warm body.

Oguma knew it would be wrong to laugh and bit his own tongue to stay himself, looked upon her face and saw the presence of her emotions towards the prince. Searched his mind for something that her father would say but found none and instead spoke like his own father had done. "Just don't do it in the mornings." He smiled fatherly but failed. "My dad said women were most fertile at dawn."

The princess bit her lower lip and blushed stronger recalling the mornings events and then the many mornings before it. "If we have done it in the morning, which we have." She saw his eyes reflect her more seriously. "Do you think?"

Oguma did not reply right away and they just continued down the dirt road towards the village in the distance. "I think it would help the morale of the troops if they knew that you were working on a heir."

Shiida closed her eyes and followed the motion of the pegasi. "It's embarrassing to have other people know, it's just something for him and me." She inhaled. "I told you because I trust you." She smiled and opened her eyes. "He has told Elice but don't tell her that I told you."

"Yes my lady." Oguma replied and they entered the village where the elders were waiting to greet them.

A slight headache that grew in the back of her head. Her stomach that suddenly began to ache and a dizziness that came and passed as she discussed with the elders. Then there was a nausea that came suddenly but she swallowed the urge to vomit and stood up. "Excuse me." She said to five surprised pair of eyes and dashed out of the house.

Her vomit coloured the grass a easy yellow and she regarded it with a miss-taste in her mouth. She vomited a second time then dried her mouth with her hand as Oguma joined beside her. "I am fine." The princess said and straightened herself. "It must have been something I have eaten."

The mercenary sighed. "No dear Shiida. I will finish the negotiations here, return to the village and visit Lena. I think she will be able to aid you." He tried to smile fatherly and this time succeed.

Shiida nodded. She was not fit to argue with him, she felt tired. "I'll do that." She turned towards the crowd of elders that had gathered around her and looked each in the eyes. "I will have to leave." She said. "My health is not at its peak."

Moments later Oguma saw her taking flight.

Lena invited her into convents back room where Julian sat with the couples first born child. The two women shared a odd glance then Shiida spoke. "I'm sick, I need to talk to you."

Lena nodded and they took seat by the table beside her man whom Shiida greeted with a nod then sat down opposite the sister. "So what is wrong Shiida?"

The princess smiled but it vanished quickly from her lips. "I get dizzy, nausea and today I vomited in front of some village elders."

Lena's face received the words and became a smooth canvas. "Anything else?"

"I visit the bathroom more then I did before, and some days I am very tired." Shiida looked down at the aged oak table and sighed nervously.

"Could you take Marion and leave." Lena commanded her husband and Julian rose taking the curious child with him. When they were alone Lena inhaled deeply and brought a motherly surface to her face. "Do you experience headaches?" Shiida nodded. "Have your breasts become more tender?"

Shiida shrugged her shoulders. "How do you mean?" She said still regarding the table.

"Sore, swollen and highly sensitive to touch?" Lena clarified and smiled.

Shiida felt at her own chest rubbing the textile against her breasts. "I guess so, maybe. Why?"

Lena swallowed and reached forward seizing Shiida's hands. "You are pregnant girl, am I right to guess that Marth is the father."

The princess looked up her eyes wet with tears and skin scarlet on her cheeks. "I, we." She moistened her lips with her tongue. "March, we, did not intend." Again her eyes fell to the table. "We did it because it was fun, enjoyable. I... he?" She broke into tears. "What if he gets angry?"

Lena took Shiida's face in her hands and rubbed the tears from the cheeks. "Why should Prince Marth be angry?" She looked deep into the crying girls eyes and pulled from the depth of them a new hope. "He loves you, he made love to you knowing that his seeds could become fruit inside you. Do not shy from him as if he was a foreigner but allow him to embrace you as his wife."

Shiida smiled and received Lena's sweet kiss against her forehead.


	2. Chapter 2

**Lilac Embrace**

Shiida had a heavy feeling in her chest as Marth entered their shared chamber. She wore a casual dress and tried to wear a casual smile but failed as he looked at her. In her womb she carried a being brought to life by the two of them. From the day he had arrived to Talys she had looked at him with the loving eyes of a child and as they had fought beside each other she had began to love him as a woman. From the back of her pegasi she had looked down at him and his great leadership and at the camp see him with other great men and women and always rise above them with his potent character. But it was in his tent at night where she had learned how much of a woman she had become and how much he appreciated that woman. When she was the only one near the great leader was embarrassed. When she smiled the hero faded into a mere man with a young hear beating her name. It was she that first had embraced him, she that had stolen that first kiss from his lips, she that had made love with him and now carried their child.

"Shiida." Marth's voice filled the chamber and it had a edge of worry. "Oguma said you wanted to see me?"

Their eyes met over the distance of the room and Shiida felt light headed and brought her hand to her belly and felt it thought the thin cloth. "Yes." Remained with his eyes as he came closer and his face opened up for her and wished her to speak. "I have great news Marth." The mere chime of her voice made him smile and she said it. "I am pregnant."

The face of a hero became weak, vulnerable and revealed a happiness not seen since the first kiss Shiida bestowed upon his lips. He moved closer to her and rested his hand near hers and felt the heat of her belly and she took his lips.

Her lips against his was not a new experience but now they were no longer just a prince and princess, man and woman but father and mother. They had made it that way in this bed enveloped by sheets and trapped by sweat. She thought back to that time he had asked permission to sleep beside her. Her thin nightgown against the masculine build of his chest when he held her close and they kissed. The first time they had been naked. Her hands quaking as she had removed said thin nightgown, felt his nudity come close to her own and knew the path they walked.

After the kiss Shiida remained close to him and could see his tears. Reached for them with her fingers and removed them from his cold skin. She had not foreseen this reaction from him but then remembered that she too had cried.

"Shiida." He said lost in her eyes. "On first sight you captured my heart and your embrace helped make me a man. I hope that you find me a worthy father for your child."

"Marth." She kissed the sweetness of the words from his lips. "There is no man more worthy than you to be the father of my child. I allowed you near me because I knew that but still I was ashamed when I knew what grew within me."

"Our child." He took her to the bed and they sat down close like lovers and equals. "A heir to Talys and Altea." Fell backwards and regarded the painted ceiling above where children danced in a lustrous temple.

Shiida took his hand and glanced at his face stirred with thoughts and emotions. Felt her own heart race suddenly, steadily and then she said it. "I think that it is best to wait with this announcement to the general public." Her voice quaked. "It is better that it is revealed when it can be seen." When Lena had said she was pregnant Shiida had known that she was but once it could be on her curvature all would believe her word.

"I think it is best to wait." He glanced at her. "They will demand that we marry but right now we can not afford such a celebration." Smiled when he said it and leaned in for her lips but stayed close to them. "And I am not ready yet."


	3. Chapter 3

**Lilac Embrace**

She felt his warm hand venturing slowly up her spine, held her breath, closed her eyes and waited for him to reach her neck with his touch. It was still night and morning sickness had yet to come over her. He knew. Touched her shoulder with a kiss, inched closer, brought his hand over her neck and into her hair. A second kiss a little further down on her arm then his naked body brushed up against hers. A shiver of entwined satisfaction and anticipation. A exhale that steamed the cold air before her and a wish to speak his name. Marth, her love, her husband to be - he whose life had reached her womb and met her own. Slowly, carefully, lovingly his hand came down to the height of her gestate belly. She felt another kiss through her rich hair and the noise of him inhaling her scents.

She had seen his ferocity on the battlefield where she had looked down at him from the height of her pegasi from where she supported him. It was enough for him to know that she was there to give his thrust a little more force and haste to his evasions. He lived for his kingdom, he lived for his people but more than all he lived for her and their unborn.

"Shiida." Her name, when spoken by him, felt different. It was charged by all his emotions and barely held together, almost bursting like a soap bubble. She leaned her head towards him, leaned into the kiss that he planted on her lips and it blossomed in the fertility of heir love. He could only be closer to her now if he was inside her.

Their lips had to part, eventually, until then there was no use trying to rein back her emotions. Like wild pegasi they stormed inside her, made her heart stampede in her chest as untamed desire race throughout her body. She wanted to make love; left his lips holding the wish in her eyes knowing he would see it, and see in his that he wanted it too.

They had until dawn when the first burst of sunlight brought with it her morning sickness. They were close now, they could not be closer than this.


End file.
